Over the past few months, the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been deteriorating. Finally newspapers in the United States have begun reporting on these tragic events. Father Richard Mis, SCJ, a General Councilor of the Priests of the Sacred Heart and Father Virginio Bressanelli, SCJ, our Superior General, recently made the following appeal: From official sources and our own SCJ confreres we have learned that battles…

AN SCJ PRESENCE IN ALBANIA Father Mario Bosio, SCJFather Michael Bulmetti, SCJ This article on the SCJ presence in Albania was written by two of our SCJs who worked in that country for more than ten years. One of the authors, Father Bulmetti, died suddenly on April 4, 1999. He dedicated the last weeks of his life entirely to the Kosovar refugees. Born in Portocannone, an Albanian village in Molise,…

The first SCJ arrived in Venezuela on August 17, 1953. Father Manuel Mira, SCJ, was sent from the Spanish Province to begin a new SCJ mission in that country. The SCJ presence in Venezuela has been constant since then. Over the course of the next two years, three other SCJs joined Father Manual in his work of establishing a new foundation. During these years, the fathers were engaged in diverse…

THE MINISTRY OF POLISH SCJsAT THE PEDIATRIC INSTITUTE OF CRACOWFather Adam Wloch, SCJ Several SCJs do excellent work as hospital chaplains in the Polish Province. The following story is about one of them who performs his hospital ministry at the Chapel of the Madonna of Perpetual Succor at the Pediatric Institute of Cracow. His is a genuine and authentic specialized ministry, one which embraces the sick children and their parents…

The First World War (1914-1918) was not limited to Europe. It equally affected the colonies of the warring countries. As a result, the German Cameroon where SCJ missionaries worked was invaded by the Allied forces - Belgian, French, and English. Being outnumbered, the German colonial army began a strategic retreat towards the interior of the colony, leaving the Missions and missionaries behind. Consequently, in January of 1915, the missionaries fell…

PRIESTS OF THE SACRED HEART21st GENERAL CHAPTER The 21st General Chapter began on May 12, beginning with the Mass The Priests of the Sacred Heart are pleased to announce the celebration of the 21st General Chapter. This Chapter began on May 12 and will continue through June 13 at the General Headquarters of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in Rome. In preparation for this Chapter, several documents were prepared.…

LITTLE KNOWN RESISTANCE FIGHTERFR. KRISTIAAN HUBERTUS MUERMANS, SCJ "Responding to a call rooted in the humiliation of his homeland, he operated in several resistance groups. In May 1944 he fell into the hands of the Gestapo, who took him away forever." (Sint Unum, 1947) The little that we know about the fate of Fr. Muermans, SCJ, a member of the Flemish province, comes from the research of Fr. Bernd Bothe,…